Since FreedomWorks has a pretty active chapter in Oregon, I thought it was worth drawing your attention to an article in the upcoming New York Times Magazine that profiles the group's chairman, former House Majority Leader Dick Armey.

In Oregon, FreedomWorks has been closely involved with initiative campaigns. Russ Walker, the Oregon director of the group, made it clear from the beginning that he was fixing to refer any income tax increases passed by the Legislature to the ballot- and that had an impact on the legislative deliberations.

Nationally, under Armey's direction, FreedomWorks has been a major force helping to encourage and guide activists to oppose the Democratic agenda in Congress. In particular, FreedomWorks has had a close involvement with the Tea Party movement and did much of the organizing for the big Sept. 12 protest in D.C.

As befits Armey's economic philosophy, he's doing well by doing what he thinks is right. He made $550,000 running FreedomWorks in 2008 while also working for an influential lobby firm in Washington (until leaving it this summer). At the same time, Armey and his staffers are studying the lessons of the famous community organizer Saul Alinsky, who is typically thought of as inspiring the left.

Armey, however, is building a movement based on conservative economic populism and limited government. He's not much interested in taking on the social issues or illegal immigration.

So, for him, stopping legislation is basically a marker of success. That's particularly true of health care reform. In fact, he says a major problem is that "too many people are too overinsured." He may be influenced by the fact that, at age 69, he remains healthy and hasn't seen a doctor in years.